Portable fire-escape.



No. 890,898. PATENTED JUNE 16, 1908.

E. G. GAILLAC.

P,0RTABLE FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.4.1907.

. WITNESSES INVENTOR EUGENE G. GAILLAG, OF JONESPORT, MAINE.

PORTABLE FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 16, 1908.

Application filed April 4, 1907. Serial No. 366,363.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE G. GArLLAc, of Jonesport, in the county of Washington and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable FireEscapes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in portable fire-escapes, the object being to provide a device of this character that can be readily carried in a grip or trunk and which is always ready for instant use.

My invention consists in a frame having a series of openings therein through which the rope is passed, the said rope crossing the frame so as to produce sufficient frictional contact whereby the descent of the frame may be regulated and controlled.

A further object is to provide a device comprising an integral structure without movable parts that can be used either end up whereby after one person has lowered himself the rope may be drawn up, changed end for end, and another descend and so on indefinitely.

My invention further consists in the details of construction as will be more fully explained and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of my improvement showing the device movable on the rope. Fig. 2 is a view showing the improvement secured to a hook or other support and an endless,

rope carrying a plurality of belts movable in the device.

1 represents a rope provided with looped ends 2.

3 is my improved friction device comprising a frame substantially H-shaped in elevation, one side member of said frame being wider than the other. This frame is preferably made of cast metal and each side member thereof is provided near its opposite ends with eyes 4 through which the rope 1 is passed. As shown in the drawing the rope 1 is passed through one eye 4 in the wider member of the frame 3, thence downwardly over the cross-member to the rear of the other side-member, thence through the-lower opening in said side member up in contact with the front face thereof, thence through the opening at the upper end in said side member, thence downwardly in rear of the cross-member and through the eye 4 in the lower end of the Wider member. With this manner of reeving the rope 1 through the several eyes in the frame suflicient friction is produced to prevent any movement of the frame on the rope when the latter is held under tension. When however a weight is aplied to the frame 3 and the rope 1 slacked up below the frame the latter will be free to descend by gravity, but always under the control of the person descending. The widermember of frame 3 is provided with an elongated slot 5 in which the ring'6 is mounted. This ring 6 carries a belt adapted to be secured around the body of the person or form a seat or swing in which the person may sit.

In the operation of the device one loop 2 of the cord 1 should be attached to a hook, an article of furniture, or any other device located near the window. The person using the'device should then secure the belt around his body, and grasping the rope 1 below the frame 3 begin the descent, the speed being regulated by the party descending or by someone on the ground regulating the tension on rope 1. After the party has thus descended another person in the room may pull on the rope 1 and secure the opposite end thereof in place. This simply reverses frame 3, the slot 5 permitting the ring carrying the life-belt to slide down to the lower end of the frame. This single apparatus may be used any number of times by simply changing the rope from end to end as above explained. With this device the frame 3 would be normally near one loop 2 on rope 1, the cross member of the frame 3 forming a convenient reel around which the rope may be wound.

To use the device it will simply be necessary to unwind the rope, secure the loop to some fixture in the room or on the window frame, and descend in the manner above described. If desired the frame 3 may be secured to the window frame and the rope 1 slide or move in the frame, the rope carrying two life-belts, as shown in Fig. 2, the said life-belts being so arranged that as one comes down the other goes up, the movement of the rope being under the control of the person descending.

Slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of the parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I do not restrict myself to the precise details set forth but consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

1. In a portable fire escape, the combination of a frame comprising two members provided with holes near their respective ends and a cross bar connecting said members intermediate of the ends of the same, and a rope provided with loops at its respective ends, said rope passing through the holes of both members and crossing said cross bar at both sides thereof, and a life belt attached to one side of the frame.

2. In a portable fire escape, the combina tion of a frame comprising two members provided with holes near their respective ends and a crossbar connecting said members in- 'termediate of the ends of the same, a rope passing through the holes of both members and crossing said cross-bar at both sides thereof, and a life-belt and attaching means for the device connected, one with the rope and the other with the frame.

3. A portable fire-escape consisting of a frame having two members connected by a cross bar, one side member of which is provided with a longitudinal slot, both sidemembers provided near their ends with eyes for the passage of a rope, a rope passed through one opening in the member containing the slot, .down and through the eye in the lower end of the opposite member, up and through the top eye in the same member, and down and through the eye in the member containing the slot, said rope crossing the cross bar of the frame, at both sides thereof, and a life belt carried by the frame and movable from one end of the slot therein to the other.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EUGENE Gr. GAILLAC.

Witnesses:

OSMOND OUMMrNes, OSCAR I-I. DUNBAR. 

